Of monsters and dreams
by Gevalia
Summary: There was a time when Sarah Williams was just like every other girl. Well. Almost as every other girl. That, however, was until she travelled to a fairy-tale land to save her brother. After that, she started to see things. And by acknowledging some things, you give the power.
1. Chapter 1

**Not mine, but I hope you already knew that.**

There was a time when Sarah Williams was just like every other girl. Well. Almost as every other girl. That, however, was until she travelled to a fairy-tale land to save her brother, and as she walked along the dirty alley and the rain started to fall on her head she cursed her former self for about the sixth millionth time for being such a stupid brat.

After she had gotten Toby back, she had been thrilled to know. What in the real world could harm her when she knew there was something else out there? When she had her real friends come and visit her whenever she needed them. When she knew magic was real.

Well, as it seemed, a lot of things could. And they didn't hesitated to do it either. Pretty soon she had realised that goblins weren't the only creatures who roamed the aboveground. Trolls, fairies, imps and whatever the thing with green scales were. They were everywhere. Ordinary people just couldn't see them, and at the beginning she had enjoyed knowing what other people didn't, to see why the water glass continued to tip over and why the socks in the washer always came out in a different colour. But then the creatures started to realise that she saw them to. And then all hell broke loose.

At first they just looked at her. This in itself made her feel uncomfortable. The silent ominous way that they glanced at her from a distance when she caught their eyes made her skin crawl. But then they started to get closer and closer. She started to ask her friends over to keep guard while she slept after she woke up with a troll standing in the corner of her room. Smiling. And not in a good way.

When one of them tried to grab her when she left home and she screaming tugged her arm away from it and ran inside again, it was impossible for her to pretend that everything was alright. Karen noticed of course and how could she explain that a magical creature was trying to kidnap her? Yeah right. She couldn't. This was also when she started to worry about Toby. What if the imps figured out that he had been below? Sarah had realised that other children also saw the creatures if they were still small, but what if they realised he had been underground? What would stop them from simply taking him? That and the realisation that if they got to know it would be because of her. Toby seemed normal, because every Toddler could see them. Hoggle explained that it would grow away. That it always did. But what if she made them realise that he had been wished away.

So she had to go. She just left one night. She cried when she stroke Toby over the head. He opened his eyes and looked at her. For once he was quiet, as if he understood the severity in the situation. When she turned to leave he made a noise. She closed her eyes hard and turned to look at him again. He waived at her and she laughed against her will and picked him up and gave him a hug. She didn't look back once she had left.

Four years had gone since that day and Sarah still cursed the day she made that stupid wish. She had since learned that trolls and imps where the least of her troubles. There were darker beings at play in the world, beings that need not grab her with hands or claws.


	2. Chapter 2

**Not mine. Just writing for kicks. You know... figuratively speaking******...**not the literal ones.**

She looked at her surroundings. She was in a park. There was no one in sight, but she knew by now that it didn't mean anyone was there, looking, waiting. She had been lucky not to have been raped or seriously hurt during these years, but there had been close calls. Several times. She had three parallel scars along her thigh as a reminder not to stay put too long.

She sat down under a tree. With a sight she put down her backpack and wished she could take a shower. Or a bath. What she wouldn't give to be clean. She didn't notice the smell anymore, but she knew how bad it was from the reactions of the people around her. For starters people would give her odd jobs. Small things. But not anymore. She could go to the shelters, but she was afraid. The last time she went to one of those the manager had expected payment she wasn't willing to give. She closed her eyes for a second, listening to the rain falling. She was tired of running. She was tired of being scared all the time. She just wished...

"Go 'day miss" Her eyes snapped open and was met by the eyes of an old woman.

"Hello, granny, how can I help you?"

Even if she was polite, she was still suspicious. The woman reeked of magic. There was no telling who or even what this woman was, and she might not be as fragile as she appeared.

"You my dear have been terribly hard to find these last years!" Sarah stiffened.

"What do you want from me?" If she had had strength left in her body she would have made a run for it, but she was so tired.

"Oh nothing, just a little chat. You couldn't have made life a little easier on an old lady and stayed at the same place at least a few days."

Sarah traced her scars through her trousers.

"No." The witch followed the movement.

"Yes, yes of course. But that was simply bad luck, that mare have been living there for quite some time now and just couldn't resist when you laid yourself down in her bed. "

The witch sat down beside her and Sarah jumped up as fast as she could. There was a moment when the witch looked wounded by the motion, but the look was gone when Sarah looked closer. The old witch patted the ground beside her.

"Don't be silly, child. You´ll get wet. Come sit beside me, you have my word I´m not here to eat you."

Sarah didn't answer, but moved a bit closer. Out of the rain. They couldn't lie, she said to herself. That was the price of magic. They couldn't lie.

"Who and what are you?"

Sarah didn't sit down. There was no way in hell she was going to follow this witches lead. She obviously wasn't human, and she hadn't have especially good experiences with meeting

magical creatures on the roads. Well... with several exceptions of course, but non of them had appeared out of the dark on the road. Well... strike that. She sat down.

The witch clucked at Sarah's obvious discomfort.

"Calm down dearie, I just simply want to talk."

She made two cups appear and gave Sarah one of them, She looked into it. Tea. She didn't drink it though. She had learned that particular lesson a long time before.

"Well... what do you want to talk about?"

The witch smiled and showed a sharp set of teeth.

"How about this little voyage you are currently on?"

"What about it?"

"Well, not so much the voyage in itself, but the creatures you are running from?"

"Who said I was running?" The witches smile widened.

"Oh dear, its quite obvious." Sarah shrugged. "And to not even bring a mirror. Tut, tut, honey, I thought you would know better."

Sarah looked at her.

"Why would I bring a mirror?"

"Well, so you could call your friends whenever you needed them of course, not to mention the opportunity to flee quite a distance quickly if someone were trying to say... take a bite."

Sarah's hand came to rest on her thigh again.

"What are these creatures?" She asked the witch.

She didn't trusted the crone, but if she had wanted to eat her, she would have done it by now, and Sarah was so tired. Besides, the witch had come here willingly, so why not take the chance?

"Well, they are monsters of course." The woman blinked. "Monsters, nightmares, call them what you prefer. All you need to know is that you are quite appetising to them."

Sarah wrinkled her brows.

"But... why?" The witch giggled.

"Say dear, how long since I came to your have you been thinking of me as a witch?"

Sarah went stiff, but the woman just laughed.

"Your belief give them power, and they live of that power. Belief and dreams, that is what they feed upon, and your belief is strong. Your kind is getting rarer and rarer, and these darlings have gone hungry for a long time."

Sarah thought about that for a moment and then looked upon the witch.

"You said I could travel a long distance in a short amount of time if I had a mirror. How is that?"

The witch got a twinkle in her eye and took a mirror out of the air.

"Your friends come to visit via the mirror, correct? Who said you couldn't do the same?"

Sarah stiffened again. This woman knew far too much.

"Why do you know so much about me?" The witch laughed.

"I can smell the labyrinth on you. As I do other, not so pleasant smells, as well." She sniffed at Sarah, who blushed. "The truth is I have been following you for quite some time now, but why I would like to keep to myself."

She grinned at her. Her pointy teeth made Sarah think of someone else.

"To visit the labyrinth would be to jump from one monster to another."

For the first time since the woman joined her she looked offended.

"Don't be stupid, there is a lot of other magical worlds out there for you to roam." She handed Sarah the mirror.

"Do you want it?"

Something about the way she said it made a shiver travel down Sarah's spine. Se looked into the witches eyes.

"To what cost granny? Isn't that the way you work. Everything for a price, nothing for free?" The old woman smiled.

"Good girl" She said to herself. "See it as an exchange for the company." Sarah still didn't take it.

"You wont come and charge me later?" The witch laughed out loud.

"No dearie, I wont come for your first born."

Sarah took the mirror and looked into it.

"How does it work?"

The hand mirror was beautiful. It had a silver frame and at first Sarah thought it was decorated with flowers, but when she looked closer she noticed that it was different creatures slithering around each other.

"You simply have to know where you want to go."

Sarah looked up, but the crone was gone.

"Now... where do you want to go?" Sarah murmured to herself. A picture started forming in the mirror. A green field, sunshine, and an inn came into picture. Sarah smiled. "Well come on feet."

And suddenly she was gone. The dark shadows that had been creeping closer slipped away and the silhouette of a white bird against the night sky was the only thing visible in the moonlight.

**Reviews would make my day. Even at this early stage, I'd love to hear what you think!**

**If you find any typos, please do tell, and I'll erase them from their miserable existence...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not mine... Damn.**

The warmth struck her first. The welcoming sound of people was the second thing. When she opened her eyes she realised she stood in the hallway of the in she had seen in the mirror.

A small boy came to her and took a bow.

"My lady, welcome to the Respite. May I take your bags?"

Sarah looked around her realising that her small backpack had gone with her.

"Eeeh, sure."

The boy picked it up, not reacting to its smell and waved to Sarah to follow him. She snuck her mirror into her pocket while following her. She had a feeling it wouldn't be safe to wave it around too much.

"Come with me lady. I will show you to your room."

Not sure what to think of this place, Sarah followed him. The room he showed her to was small, but comfortable. After living on the streets for the last couple of years, it looked like heaven.

At the sight of the warm bath by the fire, she almost started crying.

"Hey!" The boy had started to run out of the room, but stopped when she called him. "Its not that I don't appreciate this, but I don't have any money to pay for all this."

He smiled to her.

"Come down and talk to my father after you have washed yourself Lady. He will explain this to you. Someone will come with new clothes to you in a moment."

He bowed and ran out of the room. Sarah stood there for awhile. She couldn't comprehend this. She had wanted a safe place with a warm bath, and the mirror had taken her here. She slowly walked towards the bath. It was the perfect temperature. She wiped her eyes as she herd the door open behind her. She stood on her feet and turned to see a maid laying clean clothes on her bed.

"Excuse me?" The maid stopped and looked at her.

"Yes my Lady?"

Sarah wrinkled her eyebrows at the title. She was no lady, and she sure as hell didn't look as one.

"Could you explain to me where I am?" The made smiled.

"You are at the Respite my Lady. A safe haven for travellers. Or I should rather say A respite, since there are more of them. But most of them have closed down by now. Not a lot of creatures travel these roads anymore, so it doesn't really pay off to keep them open. "

Sarah took a breath. Money.

"I'm not sure I will be able to pay for this though." She waved her hand to the bath and the room and the maids smile broadened.

"We take stories Lady. Stories and fantasies, which is what is necessary to keep us alive. You are too young to have run out of this already. Don't worry. Just get cleaned up and you can come down to get something to eat and speak to the master about the payment."

She left on swift feet and Sarah watched the door close behind her.

This is too good to be true. But she didn't have the strength to resist the tempting bath.

When she laid down in the warm water, she felt her tense muscles relax. The tears ran down her cheeks once again while she washed. When she was finished she just lay there.

She had been hunted for so long. She hadn't been able to relax in so long, she could hardly remember it. Her eyelids started to drop. It was so warm and safe.

A banging on her door woke her up, and she spilled water on the floor when she quickly sat up.

"Lady, don't fall asleep, we have dinner ready for you downstairs!"

She stared at the door. And then she was out of he tub.

Dry, clean and newly clothed she went down the stairs just a couple of minutes afterwards.

The smell that travelled up the stairs made her belly growl.

There was only a couple of people sitting in the dining room when she entered. The man standing y the bar waved at her, so she went to him hesitantly.

"Hello, my Lady! Welcome to the Respite! We have a meal for you here. May I ask what you would like to drink this evening?" She sat down where he had put a plate with warm food.

"Just water, thank you." He smiled at her and went to fill a glass. She took a hesitant bite of the food before she started to throw it into her mouth.  
"I take it the food was to your liking then?"

She looked up, and saw the host looking at her with amusement. She wiped her mouth.

"I'm sorry. I just haven't eaten properly for so long..." He waved away her words.

"I'm just happy you like it. And I'm sure my wife will be happy to know someone is appreciating her cooking."

Sarah laughed.

"Please tell her it was delicious." She took a sip from the water. "I was told to speak to you about payment?"

The host took her finished plate.

"The prize for your room is a dream of the sea. It's a fair price and you can stay up to a week. If there is any problem with the room, we can get part of the dream back to you, but not afterwards. Sorry to say, we use up the dreams we get pretty fast, since travellers aren't that usual now a days."

Sarah just stared at him.

"What?"

He gave her a thoughtful look.

"From what I gathered from my son, you have been travelling for quit some time, but not in this part of the realms, is that true?" Sarah nodded.

"Which realm are you from then?"

Sarah hesitated.

"I'm not sure, since I haven't been to a lot of them. I have been living in New York until now."

"Aboveground then." He nodded to himself, and then lowered his voice. "I wouldn't say that too loud if I were you. You are safe here since it is a haven for travellers and violence is hindered by magic, but we can't help you once you leave."

Sarah looked around her. The people sitting around her didn't seem to take notice of her, but you could never be certain.

"Why would it matter where I come from?" The man smiled at her.

"Above is cut off from the underground, which according to the rules makes you fair game for the likes that live on humans."

Sarah opened her mouth to ask about the rules, but the man was called away by another guest.

"I'll be right back darling."

She looked down at her hands. She was so tired. A dream of the sea. A fair price. She nodded to herself.

She stood on her feet and waved to the owner. She could ask more questions tomorrow, but now she needed to sleep.

Waves filled her dreams that night. Tranquillity swept through her as the waves rocked her on the waves of an endless blue world.

**I'm so sorry for the long wait!**

**I have been busy. And not in the good way...**

**But now I'm back! Thank you for the favourites and the reviews. Keep 'em coming, so I know what you think about it! And please point out spelling errors for me. Sin Beta they have a tendency to slip through**

**Kaytory: I hope the bath was to your liking! You never know with that sneaky bastard, do you now? ;)**

**Sarah Rose 20 : It sure beats walking. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not make money out of this, and I do not own theese characters.**

The first thing that came to Sarah's mind as she opened her eyes was how well rested she was. The silence in the room was deafening and she sat up slowly. She looked about the room unsure of what she was supposed to do now. She had eloped the above, but she was still as homeless and lost as she had been the night before. She thought about the prise for her stay. Yesterday it had seemed a reasonable price. A week of peace and quiet. Of being able to fill her stomache, and of not having to run every day. But what of her when the week had passed? One dream was not so much, but how much would it cost her to stay here for a longer period of time. As much as her host had talked about this as a safe haven, she had still been able to see the greedy look in his eyes when she had mentioned the aboveground.

She stared at her empty hands.

"What now?"

The silence still laid around her as a mist. A moment ago it had felt comforting and peaceful, but now it was crushing her. She stood up and located her clothes. One week. After that it was time to move on. As she took on her jacket, something fell out of her pocket. With a gasp and a not so graceful movement she was able to save the mirror from falling onto the ground.

She followed the lining with her finger.

"What do you have in store for me, huh?" She put it safely back in her pocket.

_And what will _you _cost me?_

The inn was quiet. Sarah sat down and ordered something to eat. She was all too busy looking around the room to care what she ate. The only creatures in the room was a big orange bird by the door, a couple of small men, wearing hats whom was involved in a loud and friendly conversation, and a figure dressed in brown over by one of the windows. None of them seemed to take any particular interest in her being there, so she focused on her meal.

"Hello friend, you look like you're in need of a purpose." Sarah looked up startled, right into the eyes of the giant bird.

"Sorry friend, I didn't mean to startle you." It sat down at the other side of the table. "The usual, Roald, if you like." It turned back to Sarah. "Not to pry, but you look a bit lost. Maybe it is the imagination of an old bird, but you seem awfully stuck in your thoughts"

When she had come closer, Sarah realized that the giant bird actually had a womans head on it. Her black hair has made in several braides that laid across her scalp. A thought ran across Sarah's head of who had made them before their eyes locked.

As Sarah looked into the birds eyes, she saw, what she in her busy mind reflected over as for the first time in a very long time, a gaze of genuine concern and warmth.

"I have just had a lot of my mind lately." She put down her fork, and took a sip of water.

"I would say, a very long time, hmm?" The bird gave Sarah a look over. "Far too long if you ask me. Where are your traveling taking you?"

Sarah shook her head.

"I'm not quite sure. No, actually I have no idea. I can stay here for a week, but then I have to get moving. How about you? Who are you?"

The bird gave her a measuring look.

"I guess some introduction is in order. I am Gamayun, and if you are interested, I might have a proposal that would be benefitial to us both."

Sarah raised her left eyebrown.

"I'm Sarah, and what is this proposal you are talking about?"

The Gamayun leaned closer to Sarah.

"You see, Sarah, I have a nack for finding trustable people when I need them, and it struck me as you entered the room that you might be one of those people who would be able to help me on my way." Sarah leaned back.

"Oh yeah? But you still haven't told me what this is all about. Quit stalling and spit it out."

She smiled and leaned back. The bartender put a bowl of smoking fluid in front of her.

"Thank you, Roald." She dipped down her head, and Sarah realised she had braided her hair so it wouldn't fall down as she drank from the bowl.

"Do you realise why I get a bowl and not a glass?" Sarah stared at her for a moment.

"You have no hands…" The bird woman smiled.

"That is correct. You see, this especially makes it difficult to move and carry things gently. Say for example that I wanted to carry something a long way, without making it obvious that this thing was of great importance. This would be a time when a bird of my standards would hire a trustworthy person with, say, hands, or bags to follow me, in case of disturbance during my journeys."

Sarah just continued starring. "You want me to carry something for you? Something of great importance? But you have just met me, Why would you trust me?"

The bird woman smiled at her. "You might just have met me, Sarah, but I already know a great deal about you." She drank the last in her bowl. "Come with me and I'll show you."

Sarah followed her as she moved faster than Sarah would expect from a bird of her size up the stairs to a room much larger that her own, and more adapt to bird shape. Gamayun lifted a bag in one of the corners and jumped on one leg beck to Sarah.

"Close the door if you wouldn't mind." Sarah did what she told her, and looked at the bag in her claws.

"Is that it?"

Gamayun smiled at the exitement in her voice.

"Open it, and you shall find out."

Sarah couldn't resist to smile.

"This is exiting!" She laughed as she opened the bag.

In it laid a golden egg.

**As per usual, if you find any errors, please tell me so I can correct them! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Not mine, but you knew that already. Didn't you?**

Sarah blinked, then looked up at Gamayun.

"An egg?"

Gamayun smiled even wider.

"Not just any egg. A golden egg. "Sarah looked at it.

"May I touch it?" Gamayun nodded.

"Just be careful." She moved around Sarah like a mother hen when she picked it up and held it in her hands.

"It almost vibrates…" She had a stingy feeling in her hands, almost like small elecric shocks all over her palms. The egg reflected the lights in the room and it was perfectly smooth.

"Its the magic. Theese babys can create a whole world if allowed to." Sarah put it down with awe.

"So this is what you want help transporting?"

"Yes." She took the bag and closed it with her claws, "There's a man downstairs. Ithink h miht be a little to interested in my package. I would like you to come with me to deliver this egg to where it is supposed to be. At least untill I know that man wont be able to follow. I am a bird with great experiense, bu teven I have my weekspots, so I would be gratefull if you would come with me to hinder thoose who might know what theese are."

Sarah looked at Gamayun. This journey might be a dangerous one, but on the other hand. What hadn't been dangerous the last years. It would be nice to have a purpose. A goal, instead of just running.

"I would love to help you, but I need to think this over."

Gamayun nodded.

"It would be foolish not to. Rest and think. I will stay here a couple of days at least before I leave, and I would love to have your company when I feed."

Sarah nodded her approval. It would be nice to have someone to speak to.

"I'll see you later Gamayun."

Gamyun nodded again and follewed Sarah to the door. She closed it after her.

* * *

Deeply in her thoughts, Sarah went back to her rooms. She needed someone to talk to. Someone with experience of this world. The thought struck her as soon as it left her mind.

_Hoggle!_

Sarah reached into her pants and took up the mirror.

"Hoggle! I need you!"

Nothing.

"Hoggle, if you can hear me. I need to speak to you… I need advise."

Still nothing. A little dissapointed she laid the mirror on the table and went to the bed.

"Sarah, you look awfully thin." She turned around with a smile.

"HOGGLE!" She hugged him hard and burrowed her nose in his familiar smell. "I am so glad to see you!"

Hoggle hugged her back.

"What have you been up to since last time? You haven't been this clean for months. I was starting to worry you might start to smeel like the bog soon."

She smiled and wiped away a tear from her eye as she took in her friends appearance. Hoggle looked like usual. A small han, with a lot of wrinkles in hs face that told the story of a long and hard life in the underground. Sarah shock her head.

"You wont believe what happened Hoggle…"

"I don't know if I wouldn't." He glared around her room with disaproval. "The Respite, huh? How comes you ended up in this rat hole?" Sarah's smile dimmed.

"I got a mirror." Hoggled followed her gaze to the mirror in her hand, and took a step back.

"Wow, Sarah. That thing is full of magic. How did you gets your hands on that?"

Sarah showed him the mirror.

"An old hag gave it to me."

"Gave it you say?" He looked sceptical.

"You of all people should know things like that don't come for free."

"By which means did you pay this old hag, my lady?" Sarah smiled again and turned to the old fox that had appeared by her side.

"Sir Didymus! I'm so happy to see you!" She hugged him too.

"My lady! Focus on the quest at hand! Shall I strike this hag with the might of my sword to free you from this witches pakt?"

Sarah laughed.

"No, Didymus, I think it is alright." She turned to Hoggle. "She wouldn't accept any payment at the time, and I wasn't in a position to turn her down. If I am to be honest, I was a bit desperate. And it took me here."

Hoggle looked around again.

"If it took you here, I don't know if it's such a good thing Sarah. How much have you payed already?"

She bit her lip.

"A dream…"

Both Hoggle and sir Didymus drew a breath of disbelief.

"The charged you with a dream!?"

"I shall strike these tallowcathes right at this moment!"

"Sarah grabbed Didymus's arm before he could storm out the door. But before she managed to drag him back, a giant, hairy arm reached past her and lifted him up.

"Thank you Ludo." She gave the big yeti a hug.

"Sarah, you have no idea how much of an overprice that is! You have no idea how valuable dreams are!"

Hoggle looked worried, and Sarah felt a bit ashamed.

"If you were in need of help, all you had to do was ask us, we would have helped out!" Sarah blushed. To be honest she hadn't really thought that far. She had been so tired last night, and a dream had felt like a fair price for a weeks rest and food.

Hoggle watched her as her thoughts ran over her face.

"I guess done is done, but don't hesitate to ask next time you're in trouble. That's what friends are for ya know."

"Indeed fair lady!"

"Sawah frieeend!"

A tear dripped down her cheek, and she hugged them all.

"I am so glad I hav you guys, I don't deserve friends like you."

"Nonsense!" Hoggle said, slightly crused.

She let the all go, and smiled at them.

"Yeah, there was another thing I wanted to ask you!"

All three pair of eyes turned to her.

"What?" Hoggle asked. "Has you done something more stupid?"

Sarah pressed out a forced laught.

"No. At least I hope not. You see, I met a bird woman here. She calls herself Gamayun, and she wanted me to follow her on a mission of hers. I just wanted to know if you know anything about her, and if it would be… well not safa, but at least more safe than not, to follow her on this quest."

Sir Didymus jumped with exaltation.

"The lady Gamayun is a lady of fine standards indeed!" He went on rambelling about her preevious deeds, and Hoggle took this oppertunity to speak.

"She's ok, thats true. Ok, for a birdbrain that is. She wont eat or trick yous, as logn as you aint tryin to trick her, that is."

Sarah thought about that for a bit.

"Ok, then I guess I will be leaving wth her soon. It will be nice to have something real to do."

Ludo put his big paw on her arm and Sarah squeesed it with hers.

"Thank you guys for your advise. I truly donät know how I would have managed without you throughout all theese years."

"You wouldn't" Hoggle smiled at her.

"But Sarah. You needs to be careful here in the underground. The folks here live on what you have. And some will do anything to take it from you. Be carefull of letting strangers know who you are and where you're from. People is food in some areas here."

She nodded.

"Thanks Hoggle. I will remember that."

He nodded.

"Stay with that bird brain of yours. But don't trust anyone you don't now. You was lucky this first time, but folks can be tricky. Especially some kinds live on trickstery."

"Thank you again Hoggle." He smiled at her.

"That's what friends are for."

**Thank you for reading so far! PLease R&amp;R, so I know what to think and what to correct!**

**It's always nice to hear your thoughts of the story so far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**This story is mine, although the characters are not.**

The road under her feet was hard and even.

Sarah looked up in the sky. Gamayun sored hight over her. Spreading her wings and looked truly happy for the first time since Sarah first met her. Their journey so far had been without any trouble, and the fact made Sarah a bit nervous. She had been expecting trouble, and this felt like the calm before a storm.

She stroke the bag on her shoulder. She felt the warmth from the egg throught the fabric.

"I am going to keep you safe little guy." She smiled to herself. _Magic._

A shill went trought the air. Sarah looked up. She dind't see anything, but something in the air told her to be careful.

Gamayun landed next to her.

"Do you feel that?" Sarah nodded. The hairs on her arms stood up. Her heart beat faster that before.

"Stay here. I'm going to check this out. If anything happens to me, just keep walking. The egg will lead you where it needs to go." She streached her wings and took to the sky.

On swift wings she flew away and after a moment she was gone.

She kept walking. Now when Gamayun was out of sight she didn't feel anymore. For the first time since she had entere this strange land, she got a familiar feeling that had followed her on her trvells the last years in the above.

She felt lonely.

Something touched her right elbow. With a smothered scream she jumped to the left and over the deafening sound of her heart racing she heard a giggle. She turned and saw a man standing beside her. His eyes followed her as she took a cautious step to the right. She had been scared, but now she started to become angry. This was definitely not the company she had hoped for. To regain what little left there were of her dignity, she put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"What did you do that for?" He still smiled at her and a strange feeling filled her. Something was wrong.

"You are Jareths toy." It wasn't a question, but a statement and now she knew something was wrong.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Sarah looked him over and identified him as the man that had been staying at the Respite. The one Gamayun had been worried about. She turned her back on him and started to walk again. She searched the sky. _Where are you Gamayun?_

"You reek of belief." She turned around and looked at the man in disbelief.

"What did you say?" He was getting closer and Sarah backed a step.

"There are beings who would pay a great deal of money for someone like you, but I'm sure you already know that." Sarah didn't stay for the epilogue, but turned around and ran. But she was tired after walking the entire day and the man was _fast_. He got to her in less than five steps and felled her. She hit the ground with a thud, pushing the air out of her. While she gasped for air, she felt him dragging her by her arms.

"This is nothing personal, pretty thing, but I'm sure you already know that." She felt herself being lifted up by the man and put on something hard. A cold shackle closed around her ankle, then there was a bang and the world fell into darkness. When she could breathe again she realised that the bang had been the sound of doors jamming shut and when she felt her prison moving she realised she was in deep

"_Shit!_".

For a moment she panicked as she suddenly realised that the bag wasn't on her back anymore. Wherever the man had put her was dark. She felt around her. _Wood. _The space started to move. _How the hell did he manage to get a carriage this close to me without me noticing?_

She sighed in relief when her hands found the fabric of her bag. She opened it and a feint light filled the carriage. The egg glowed. She held it tight to her and gave it a little kiss.

"I'm sorry darling. Looks like I got you in a bit of a mess after all." She put the egg back in the bag when her hands stroke against something small and cold.

She almost cried out from relief. She closed her hand around the mirror and pulled it out from the bag. She closed her eyes and wished for another world, a place far away from here. Anywhere. She opened her eyes. Nothing. The mirror was empty. Panic struck. Why wasn't it working? She felt her heart pumping harder in her chest. If she couldn't get to Hoggle... Then a thought struck her, and she almost slapped herself.

"Hoggle, I really need you, right now." She murmured a plea that he was near a mirror. Sudden light blinded her when Hoggles image appeared and she closed her eyes and turned her face away.

"Sarah?" She realised he couldn't see her and let the light from the mirror shine over her face as she squinted her eyes.

"Sarah, are you alright? Where are you?" The carriage bumped over a stone and Sarah almost dropped the mirror.

"I'm in trouble Hoggle, deep shit trouble." Was it her imagination or was the carriage slowing down?

"Why aren't ye using yer mirror?" Hoggle asked. He looked worried. Sarah was worried to.

"I don't know. The mirror isn't working. I really could use some help here Hoggle!" The light in her mirror went out and someone bumped into her back. She panicked for a moment before she realised that it was Hoggle.

"Outch! It's cramped in here!" She hugged him tight and almost started crying.

"Can you get me out of here Hoggle?" Her chain rattled when she turned against him. He lit a match and looked around in the small no longer dark carriage.

"Well, this is cosy aint it?"

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Yes, almost as cosy as the oubliette, now can we leave?"

Hoggle bent down over the chain around her ankle. He nodded as if he had expected it. "That's is why ye coundn't leave here. That's magical."

Sarah gave the chain a new look. Of course it was.

"Can you help me out of it? I don't think my capturers would be so kind as to give us the key."

Hoggle turned up and smiled. He loosened a key from his belt.

"I have a key."

Sarah eyed it sceptically.

"Are you sure it will fit? It looks too big for the keyhole."

Hoggle shook his head and jammed the key in the hole.

"I thought you would know by now." The shackle opened. "Things are not always what they seem."

Sarah smiled and rubbed her ankle.

"Thanks Hoggle. You're a real friend." She hugged him again.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get out of here." This time the mirror worked.

"Where to?" She turned to Hoggle who smiled at her.

"I know just the place."

**Whuuut! Three chapters in one week!?**

**I hope you enjoy this, but please rewiev so I know what you like, hate, what bothers you, and what where you want this to go!  
Gevalia**


	7. Chapter 7

**Not mine, not making any money out of if.  
And sorry for the kode. I don't know what happened there. But it's fixed now!  
Thanks LovelyAmberLight and Honomia Granger for telling me!**

When Sarah stepped into the new world, her eyes widened.

"No way!" Hoggle just smiled. He had knew she would like it.

"Yeah, isn't it just the place, huh?" Sarah gave him a bright smile.

"This is absolutely fantastic!"

The forest around them reeked of magic. It was _glowing. _Well, obviously not _literally_, but all hairs on her arms stood when she felt the pulse that went through the trees. She turned to Hoggle.

"What is this place?"

Hoggle picked up a twig from the ground.

"I't the only place them damn fairies can't enter. So the trees aint loosin' their magic." He tossed the twig aside. "I would say it's a better place than that dark thingy you were in, right?" He chuckled at himself and loosened the key he had used from his chain.

"Here, takes this if you run head first into another shackle." Sarah just stared at the key.

"Hoggle I can't take that! You need it!" He chuckled again.

"I has lots of keys in my keychain." He rattled it to prove his point. "Most of 'em arent' as useful as that one, but as long as I knows which door I have to go through, I will be alright." Sarah hesitantly took the key from his hand.

"Thank you Hoggle." He murmured at the ground.

"I wonder what happened to Gamauyn." Sarah watched the sky. "I hope she didn't get hurt." She stiffened. "How the hell am I going to help her deliver the bloody egg now" She looked at Hoggle in panic. "She came to me for help, and now she's going to assume that I ran away! Or became captured!"

_Of course she _had _been captured, but that was not important now_. She pushed the thought away and tried to focus on solving the problem.

"I wouldn't worry about that for now Sarah. Them Gamayun's have a way of seeing the right decisions and ways. It'll be okey, just hang on to that egg of yours."

Sarah began to say something, but closed her mouth. She would find a solution to this dilemma later. She could always find the bird later on with the mirror. She closed her eyes. The smell around her was intoxicating. Soft, smooth, green. It stroked the inside of her nose in an almost erotic way. Even if she had been gone from New York for a couple of days, she couldn't see herself in an environment this beautiful. Uncountable nights in dirty disgusting places had set their mark on her. This reminded her of the park. Of childhood. Of Merlin. A tear fell down her cheek.

"Are you alright Sarah?"

She turned to Hoggle and put on a quick smile.

"Of course!" She dried her cheeks. "So where are we going?"

Hoggle shrugged his shoulders.

"Were do you want to go?"

_Up or down?_

Sarah looked down and noticed that she actually stood on a trail in the moss under her feet.

"I don't know. Let's find out!"

Birds were singing as they followed the path, after an agonising moment where they encountered a swarm of insects that definitely did not approve of them being there, they came to a bridge. Hoggle stopped in his track.

"What is it?" Sarah looked at him, and then looked at the bridge, and then back at Hoggle.

"What's the matter."

"Wait a minute…" Hoggle squinted at the bridge.

"It's alright. He's gone."

Her heart almost jumped out of her chest and she turned around so fast, she almost lost her balance. When she saw who stood in front of her, her cheeks turned red.

"Don't sneak up on people like that!" She cried at the tiny goat that now stood on the middle of the bridge. It giggled with a sound similar to tiny bells and gave Sarah a humorous glance.

"You can pass if you please. There was another girl before you. If you want company, I'm sure she is not far ahead on the trail."

He galloped soundless to the other side of the bridge and turned towards them.

"Come on strangers! It's safe!"

Sarah turned to Hoggle.

"Is it?" She whispered, not to let the little goat hear her.

"Yeah it's safe." He grunted. "Just don't make the other ones mad at ye."

He started to walk over, with Sarah standing behind wondering what the hell he talked about. Then she noticed two other goats standing further into the forest.

"For bogs sake…" She followed Hoggle.

"Where are you going?"

"Won't yer brothers want you back home soon?"

The little goat followed them on the path. A decision Hoggle didn't seem all too pleased with. He had found his little trip with Sarah to be just fine when it was just the two of them, but with this little pester? Nah.

"No, it's alright, they won't mind!"

Sarah laughed as the little goat tripped. He talked a lot, but _damn! _He was so bloody cute.

"We don't know yet." Sarah answered his question. "I have been travelling for so long, I think I lost my destination.

"But you have to find it again miss!" The goat sounded terrified. "My brothers won't mind me walking this trail, because they know I will be home, but if I lost my way, they would come find me and take me home."

Sarah thought about Toby. How old would he be now? She didn't know. She had lost track of time. She had been running for so long.

"I don't have a home anymore."

The goat stopped.

"Everyone has a home." He looked at her dead serious. "You just have to find it." He started walking again.

"We only had the forest as our home. Now we live under the bridge."

Hoggle snorted.

"Yeah, I bet the troll was real happy 'bout that." The goat gently bumped in to him.

"As it turned out, he was a miserable swimmer. Now I have to go home, because I'm hungry and my brothers will miss me. Goodbye!"

He galloped away, and Sarah waved at him when he burst through the forest. She looked at Hoggle and laughed.

"Come on! He's only a kid! They do hace a tendency to say whats on their mind."

Hoggle snorted again.

"Well he's gone now." He looked at Sarah. "But you know, he is right. Yer can't just keep on walking like this. Sooner or later you have to find a place to put that sore feet of yers. Don't you think they have walked long enough now?"

Sarah looked at her feet.

"Well… you know. Before this, I couldn't. Now, I think I just need to find the right place. A safe place. All I could think of when I got the mirror was somewhere I could get clean and sleep, and I ended up at Resort. Maybe I should have stayed there?"

Hoggle shook his head.

"I told you. Places like that is too expensive. They would have bleed you dry, until there was nothing left of you. Until your mind was empty. Until you was empty. You don't need a place like that Sarah, you need a place that is safe."

Sarah thought about that for a moment.

"You know what Hoggle. I have been running from things for a long time now. A very long time. I just don't know where I can go."

She thought about Toby again. It was worth it. He was safe. Her family was safe. She thought about her younger self. How she would have loved a chance to have him being taken away. Lost forever. How she had felt when she realized her wish had come through. She would never allow that to happen again. She hadn't. She wouldn't be able to bare the guilt. The heartache of knowing that is was her fault. He had been her responsibility and this was the only way she could have done it. The only way she was able to keep him safe. That was the only wish she had, and it had come true. Now she was empty for suggestions. Lonely.

"I just don't know what to wish for."

Hoggle observed her for a while, and then silently put his hand on her arms.

"You are not alone." She hugged his hand.

"I know. I don't know what I would have done without you guys. But I just feel so… Lost."

"I'm sure you will find what yer looking for. You just have to know where to look."

Sarah smiled at him.

"Do you have a riddle school back in the labyrinth? Or frasing school perhaps? To sound as mysterious and non-answery as possible?"

Hoggle smiled at her.

"No, we just gets like this after a while. It's an old habit, and you would be surprised at how hard people have to ask questions that actually matter. And about the Labyrinth…"

Sarah saw how he hesitated to say more, but she understood.

"You have to get back."

"It's not that I wouldn't want to stay with ye, but Jareth might notice me being gone and all."

Sarah nodded. She wouldn't think any more of Jareth that kicking Hoggle out given first reason.

"You get back. I'll be alright." She hugged him tight.

"Before I go." Hoggle crouched and gestured to Sarah to do the same. She sat down.

"What?"

Hoggle took her hand and placed it on the path. She gasped as she felt it almost vibrating.

"Do ye feel that?" She nodded. "That is what's keeping ye safe. If you leave the path, no one knows what you might find. Good or bad., but I wouldn't risk anything if I were you. You might have trouble finding yer way back"

Then he was gone, and Sarah was alone.

**Fuck cancer **✶


End file.
